The Top 12 Best Long Range Rifle Scope Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars from 87 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

Scopes from Vortex Optics are popular entrants in many long range scope reviews. If there’s one scope from this brand that has attracted a huge following of many long range shooters, it’d be the viper. This scope has a magnification range of 6.5X to 20X. Although the 20X magnification doesn’t seem to be as high as what’s offered by many competing scopes, many hunters who’ve mounted this scope on their long range rifles swear that it’s equal to or even better than the 24X and above offered by many scopes.

The vortex viper has a 50mm diameter objective lens. Its optics are fully multicoated and it promises up to 95% light transmission. Its lenses are made from high quality Extra Low Dispersion (XD) glass which increases color fidelity and enhances image resolution. This means that you’ll get clear and sharp target images regardless of the prevailing weather conditions.

This scopes body is made from a single 30mm aircraft grade aluminum tube. This gives it a sturdy durable body. Its argon purged and o-ring sealed to keep it from fogging or leaking water which could damage its internal components.

Its reticle is a mil-dot SFP with dead hold type which makes it easy to estimate range, bullet hold-over and windage. Other features you’ll find on this rifle scope include ¼ inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards, parallax setting of 50 yards to infinity and 3.1 inch eye relief.

Pros

High quality glass lenses with quality coating are durable and efficient at transmitting light

Tall capped turrets make it easy to adjust for elevation, windage and parallax

Single tube aluminum body is strong, durable and tolerant to different weather conditions and terrains

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars from 88 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

If you were to ask seasoned hunters what is the best long range scope, the Crossfire II from Vortex Optics is very likely to come up among the answers. This scope has a 6X to 24X magnification range making it an ideal mid to long range scope.

The Crossfire II CF2-31045 hunting scope has a 50mm diameter objective lens. The lens is fully adjustable allowing you to get clearer target images even at high magnifications. The objective lens and other optics are fully multicoated. The coating helps to reduce reflection and increase the amount of light transmitted through the scope.

The Vortex Optics Crossfire II rifle scope has a second focal plane reticle. The reticle size remains the same even as you increase or decrease magnification. This allows you to avoid making guesses and adjustments every time you change the scopes magnification. The reticle is BDC type with dead hold functionality which enables accurate target focus and shots.

This scope’s body is made from quality aircraft grade aluminum. The single piece body is strong, lightweight and very durable. The body is gas purged and o-ring sealed. This makes it water, fog and shockproof.

Other features you’ll find on this long range scope are ¼ inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards, generous 4 inch eye relief and parallax free view setting at 10 yards to infinity.

Pros

Strong and lightweight aluminum body is very durable

Easy to use in different weather conditions because of shock, rain and fogproof design

Dead hold BDC SFP reticle makes it easy to shoot at targets a great distance out

Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars from 148 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

Compared to other rifle scopes in this review, the Bushnell Optics Drop Zone 223 BDC reticle riflescope has a lower magnification range and smaller objective lens. This however doesn’t keep it from being featured among best long range scope reviews. This scope has a variable magnification of 4.5X to 18X. although the 18X magnification might seem a bit low compared to the 24X offered by many long range scopes, shooters who’ve used this scope for medium to long range shooting agree that it compensates for this by offering clear and sharp target images across all magnifications.

The Bushnell Optics 223 has a 40mm objective lens. This is complemented by fully multicoated high quality optics which transmits high amounts of light for clear and sharp images.

This scope’s body is made from aircraft grade aluminum that’s lightweight and strong. The body is nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed to prevent fogging and moisture buildup as well as prevent dust entry. The rugged aluminum body enables this scope to tolerate heavy recoil from your long range rifle. It’s fitted with target turrets, side focus parallax adjustment and fast focus eyepiece which enable fast and accurate target acquisition.

It features a drop zone 223 BDC SFP reticle which is calibrated for use with 55-62 grain bullets. The reticle zeros at 100 yards and has aiming points out to 500 yards. This reticle design improves on shooting accuracy for both close and long range shooting.

Other features you’ll find included on this scope are a 22 to 7.3 field of view at 100 yards, 3.7 inch eye relief and ¼ inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards.

Pros

Variable magnification of up to 18X enables close to long range shooting

Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars from 20 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

If you don’t mind spending a little less than $1000 on a quality long range rifle scope, the Sightron SIII SS is worth looking into. This scope is built for long range shooting with the most powerful rifles out there. With a variable magnification of between 10X and 50X you will be accurately shooting at targets thousands of yards out.

The Sightron SIII SS has a large 60mm objective lens. This is at least 10mm larger than what’s offered by many other long range rifle scopes. That extra length ensures that this scope transmits more light and therefore producing clearer and sharper images even in the lowest light conditions. Its lenses feature a 7 layer ZACT-7 Revcoat multicoating which enhances image resolution and increases light transmission.

This scope comes in a 100% nitrogen filled body that’s waterproof and fogproof. It also features a fast focus adjustable eyepiece. Other features you’ll find on this scope are mil-dot FFP reticle, 1/8 inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards, 9.6’ to 2.2’ field of view, tactical resettable turrets and 4.5 inch eye relief.

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars from 230 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

This is one of the best long range rifle scopes from Barska. It’s also one of the inexpensive scopes on this review that actually gets the job done. With a variable magnification of 6.5X to 20X this rifle scope is well suited for mid to long range shooting.

The Barska Varmint rifle scope comes fitted with a 50mm diameter objective lens. The scope’s optics are fully multicoated. These two features allow the scope to transmit as much light as possible resulting in a clear and sharp target image. The objective lens is also adjustable allowing you to focus on targets fast and eliminate parallax.

This scope’s body is made from a 1 inch tube that’s fog, rain and shockproofed for unmatched field performance. It has a target dot reticle which is designed for focusing on small targets. It comes fitted with high adjusting turrets which make it easy to make MOA settings fast. Other additional features include 1/8 MOA adjustment at 100 yards, 16 to 5.7 feet field of view at 100 yards and 3.6 inch eye relief.

Pros

Powerful variable magnification makes it easy to shoot at targets within a wide distance range

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars from 826 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

This is one of the best long range rifle scopes on the market today. It’s fairly priced and comes with many features that make it rank among the leading long range scopes available today. It has a 6X to 24X magnification range that allows you to focus on targets at varying distances. Its 50mm objective lens is fully adjustable allowing you to make easy adjustments to get rid of parallax and blurry images at high magnifications.

The CVLIFE Optics Hunting Rifle Scope is made from aircraft grade aluminum that’s strong and lightweight. The body is 100% nitrogen filed to make it rain and fog proof. The aluminum body construction makes this long range rifle scope shockproof.

It comes with a red and green illuminated dual reticle. This makes it easy to focus on targets even in low light conditions. This scope’s lenses are fully multicoated. The coating prevents reflection and maximizes light transmission through it.

Other features you’ll find on this scope include a field of view of 28 feet at 100 yards, 1/8 inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards and parallax free view from 15 yards to infinity. It also comes with free mounts and lens caps.

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars from 28 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

This hunting scope is designed for mid to long range shooting. It has a 6X to 24X magnification range which makes it easy to focus on targets at varying distances. This scope comes fitted with a 50mm multicoated objective lens. The multicoating reduces glare and increases light transmission through the scope. The objective lens is also fully adjustable to ensure that you always get clear and sharp images even at high magnifications.

The Pinty 6-24X50 hunting rifle has a mil-dot rangefinder reticle. The reticle is illuminated with red and green color options. The reticle design allows you to easily pick out your targets even if they’re hundreds of yards away. The reticle’s illumination intensity can be adjusted across five different levels.

This long range rifle scope’s body is made from high quality aluminum that’s lightweight and strong. The body is gas purged to make it rain, fog and shockproof. Its MOA adjustment is set at ¼ inches at 100 yards. The scope has a parallax free view setting of 15 yards to infinity.

Other features you’ll find included with this scope include a generous 3 inch eye relief, 22mm picatinny or weaver rail mounting rings, lens caps and li-ion battery.

Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars from 137 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

The Ledsniper is one of the few scopes that feature in many of the long range rifle scope reviews. It’s a unique rifle optic that includes everything you need to get it mounted and start shooting. This scope has a 6X to 24X magnification which is ideal for mid to long range shooting.

It comes fitted with a 50mm diameter multicoated objective lens. The objective is fully adjustable. This functionality allows you to make adjustments which allow clearer and sharper target image views at high magnifications. It also helps to eliminate parallax when shooting different distances.

The Ledsniper riflescope’s body is made from a single tube with a 40mm diameter. This increases the amount of light the scope can transmit to produce clear and sharp images. The body is also fog, water and shockproofed for all weather and terrain use. It also features target focusing turrets with zero reset and locking features.

This long range scope has an illuminated mil-dot rangefinder reticle with red and green color options. You can easily adjust the illumination intensity across five different levels. It has a field of view of 16.1 feet and ¼ inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards. Other features that are included with this scope are 2 mounting rings, protective caps. Sunshade and parallax free setting of 15 yards to infinity.

Pros

Large magnification range enables shooting over a large distance

Illuminated ml-dot rangefinder reticle makes it easy to focus on targets even in low light conditions

Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars from 217 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

If you’re wondering what is the best long range scope under $100, the BESTEK 6-24X50mm AOEG rifle scope is worth considering. Despite its price tag, this scope will easily compete against high end scopes as far as shooting medium to long range goes. This scope has a 6X to 24X magnification which many more expensive units will offer.

The BESTEK 6-24X50mm rifle scope has a large 50mm diameter objective lens. All optics are fully multicoated to prevent reflection of light and to maximize on the amount of light transmitted through the scope. The objective is fully adjustable enabling you to get rid of image blurriness especially when you’re at using high magnifications.

This scope’s body is made from aircraft grade aluminum. It’s light, compact and strong enabling this scope to last for several years. The body is also nitrogen filled and o-ring sealed to make it rain, fog and shockproof.

This long range rifle scope from BESTEK has an illuminated mil-dot reticle. You can choose between red and green color options. The reticle’s illumination has 5 intensity levels which gives you better control to suit the prevailing light conditions. The battery that powers the reticle is provided along with the scope.

Other additional features you’ll find on this rifle scope include ¼ inch MOA adjustment and 3.98 meters field of view at 100 yards, 2 scope mounting rings and a lens cover.

Pros

Excellent for mid to long range shooting with wide magnification range

Illuminated reticle with 5 intensity levels makes it easy to acquire targets in different light conditions

Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars from 4 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

If you’re looking for the best long range rifle scopes for shooting distances over 1000 yards, the Secozoom optics scope is worth considering. This scope has a huge magnification range of 4X to 50X. This makes it one of the best scopes for shooting distances ranging from a few yards to over 1000 yards.

This scope has a huge 75mm diameter objective lens. This has several advantages over smaller lenses including producing a larger field of view at high magnifications and allowing in more light which results in sharper and clearer images even in low light conditions. The large objective is further complemented by a 35mm tube and multicoated lenses which maximize light transmission.

The Secozoom rifle scope has an illuminated mil-dot reticle. The reticle comes in red, green and black color options. This allows you to focus on your targets fast even in low light conditions.

This scopes body is made from a single tube that’s water, fog and shockproofed. It’s rated at 3000 to 5000g shockproof making it a great option if you’re using heavy recoil rifles. Other features you’ll find included with this scope are 1/8 inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards and lens covers.

Pros

Huge magnification range makes it a good scope for shooting close, medium and long range

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars from 152 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

Many amateur shooters often ask what is the best long range scope with illuminated reticle. Although there are many different brands and models contending for this title, very few can actually beat the Beileshi 6-24X50mm rifle scope. It’s a well designed long range scope with a 6X to 24X magnification which makes it a good choice for medium to long range shooting. The objective lens is fully adjustable enabling you to focus on targets fast and clear image blurriness when focusing at high magnifications.

The Beileshi 6-24X50mm scope has a 50mm objective lens. This is complemented by fully multicoated optics which maximizes light transmission and reduces glare and reflection. This makes the scope effective at producing clear and sharp target images regardless of the prevailing lighting conditions.

This scope features an illuminated BDC mil dot reticle in red and green color options. The reticle’s illumination can be adjusted across 5 different levels. It’s an FFP reticle which enlarges and becomes smaller as you change magnification. This makes it easier to focus on your targets especially at low to medium magnification levels. Its body is nitrogen filled to make it fog and rainproof.

Other features included with the Beileshi long range rifle scope include ¼ inch MOA adjustment at 100 yards, 3 to 4 inch eye relief, lens cap and heavy duty ring mounts.

Pros

Variable magnification of up to 24X enables mid to long range shooting

The mounting rings are designed for mounting on 20mm weaver dovetail rails only

What features make the best long range rifle scope?

Bigger objective lenses are better

Many of the rifle scopes you’ll come across have objective lenses that range between 32mm and 44mm. these scopes are usually good for shooting close to medium range. If you intend to shoot long range, it’s advisable to go for the scopes with large objective lenses. Anything over 44mm is considered good although 50mm and above is usually preferred.

A large objective lens ensures that as much light as possible is transmitted into the scope. This in turn ensures that you get clear and sharp target images even in low light conditions.

Higher magnification range

A bigger magnification range ensures that you can zoom in on far away targets and get an accurate shot. It’s worth noting that both the low and the high magnification range matter. The lower magnification range will determine whether you’ll be able to focus on targets that are within a distance of less than 100 yards. The higher range on the other hand will determine whether you can focus on far away targets. Generally, scopes with magnification ranges between 5X and 25X are considered the best for long range shooting. When using optics, high magnification often results in blurred images. However, in the case of the best long range rifle scopes, this problem is usually remedied by the use of high quality glass on the lenses.

High quality glass

One of the features that differentiate between the best long range rifle scopes that sell for over $2000 and a cheaper $200 scope is the type of glass used to make the lenses. If you want a quality scope, you’ll need to find one with the highest quality glass. The type of glass used to make the lenses and inner optics plays a huge role on how much light is transmitted through the scope and its ability to resist scratching, staining and shock.

Focal plane

Rifle scopes are either first focal plane (FFP) or second focal plane (SFP). Their main difference is the reticle size with regard to changes in magnification. In FFP scopes, the reticle magnification scales up and down as magnification changes. This means that if you’re shooting at a long range target and fully zoomed in, the reticle might be too thick such that it obscures the target. Due to this reason, many long range shooters usually prefer SFP scopes over their FFP counterparts.

Cost

Long range rifle scopes come in varying prices which range between less than $50 to well over $3000. The cost of the scope largely depends on what features you’re looking for and your budget. It’s worth noting that the price of a scope can be largely influenced by the manufacturer’s brand name and not necessarily the quality of the scope. With that said, you can easily find quality long range scopes for a few hundred dollars some of which you’ll find in this review.

Other features to look at

Other additional features you need to look at when shopping for a new long range rifle scope include the field of view, the body’s construction, reticle type, MOA adjustment and any included accessories among other things.

Final Words

Finding the best long range scope largely depends on how well you can balance out the types of features you want and the price. As you might have noticed, many of the scopes reviewed have magnifications and objective lenses within the same range and diameter respectively.

This means that if you’re to find the best long range rifle scope, you’ll need to go beyond magnification and objective lens diameter and focus on more intricate features such as the quality of glass used to make the optics, field of view at different magnifications, the scope’s overall construction and how easy it is to make adjustments. All of these will determine how much you’ll have to pay for the scope. Hopefully, this review and guide has provided enough information to enable you make an informed decision when buying your next long range scope.

Disclosure

AllOutdoors.com is a participant in Gander Mountain Affiliate, Jet.com Affiliate, Brownells Affiliate and Amazon Services LLC Associates, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to their respective websites.